Governance expert Professor Baffour Agyemang-Duah has praised Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin for setting an example by turning down an executive appointment.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Prof Agyemang-Duah described the Speaker’s comments as one of the most powerful public statements yet on conflict of interest- a matter that continues to undermine good governance in the country.
This follows Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin’s recent disclosure that he turned down an offer from President John Mahama to chair the Board of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), citing conflict of interest.
The Speaker argued that it was inappropriate for a legislator to take up an executive board role while presiding over the same institution’s reports in Parliament.
Read also: I turned down Mahama’s NHIA Board Chair offer – Bagbin
“When I heard the Speaker the first time on this matter, and this is on a very light note, it reminded me of when I was a child, around three or four years old,” he said. “Whenever I did something that impressed my mother, she would say, ‘Come let me carry you on my back’ to show deep appreciation. When I heard the Speaker articulating this view, I felt the same way, that if it were possible, I would carry him on my back.”
[embedded content]He continued, “I think this is the most sustained statement to be made on conflict of interest, which has eaten deep into our governance structure.”
Prof Agyemang-Duah highlighted a recent example in Parliament to further explain his point. He referred to the ongoing vetting of Supreme Court judges, where it emerged that a deputy chair of the Appointments Committee also chairs the board of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). According to him, this dual role raises serious concerns.
“When an issue came up about tax filing, it later came out that the same person chairing the vetting committee is also chair of the GRA board,” he said. “That’s a clear illustration of conflict of interest.”
Turning back to Speaker Bagbin’s remarks, Prof Agyemang-Duah commended his honesty and courage in speaking out about the offer.
“I think he has demonstrated something that all of us should be proud of,” he noted. “We live in a country where parliamentarians preside over boards of state institutions. Yet, as legislators, they are expected to exercise oversight over those same institutions. How can they perform that duty with integrity when they’re also part of the executive structure?”
He believes Speaker Bagbin’s comments should trigger a national conversation about the separation of powers and governance reforms.
“This gives us the opportunity to seriously debate the need to fully separate the legislature from the executive,” he said.
“One area to look at is the constitutional provision that allows the President to appoint the majority of his ministers from Parliament. That should be reviewed to ensure that the legislature can carry out its oversight responsibilities in a more honest and sincere way.”
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